Patient Care Technician - PCT

Fresenius Medical Care•AZ203 FMCNA Westgate Home - Clinic, AZ

13d

About The Position

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) is part of a dialysis health care team and provides safe, effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse. The role follows organizational policies, procedures, training, and applicable corporate, state, and federal regulations. The technician sets up and operates hemodialysis machines, helps maintain a safe and clean work environment, and participates in the Quality Enhancement Program (QEP), Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), and other process-improvement activities focused on patient satisfaction and quality goals. The PCT welcomes and monitors patients, assesses vascular access, performs cannulation and delegated tasks as permitted by state law, initiates and discontinues dialysis treatments, monitors patient response, and documents treatment information. The position also includes machine and safety checks, laboratory specimen handling, infection-control practices, patient education support, and assistance with staff training under nursing supervision. In the Transitional Care Unit, the technician helps coordinate newly admitted patients’ first four weeks of dialysis, reinforces education, supports understanding of treatment and home-dialysis options, prepares treatments on TCU machines, and assists with care transitions, supply ordering, and inventory. Work includes patient and staff interaction, desk and computer tasks, and travel between assigned facilities and community locations; travel to meetings may also be required. The work environment is characteristic of a health care facility, with controlled air temperature and moderate noise, and may involve exposure to infectious materials. Direct patient care involves lifting and moving patients, assisting with ambulation, prolonged standing, bending, and handling equipment and solutions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Employees must take the Ishihara color blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations will be considered.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Must meet CMS-approved state and/or national certification requirements within the applicable state or CMS timeline.
Must have any state licensure, education, and training required for the role.
Demonstrated commitment to organizational culture, values, and customer service standards.
Continued employment is dependent on successful completion of the organization's dialysis training program and CPR certification.
Must take the Ishihara color blindness test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodations will be considered.
Ability to perform the described physical functions, including frequent prolonged standing, bending, lifting and lowering solutions, assisting with patient movement and ambulation, and occasionally pushing or pulling equipment.

Nice To Haves

Previous patient care experience in a hospital setting or related facility is preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide patient-specific education support regarding adequacy measures, disease processes, and vascular access, as appropriate.
Welcome assigned patients and ask about their wellbeing since their previous treatment.
Evaluate vascular access for patency; perform cannulation and administer heparin when delegated or permitted by state law.
Obtain and record pre-, intra-, and post-treatment vital signs and weights, and perform pre-treatment vascular access evaluations.
Initiate dialysis according to prescribed orders, including blood-flow and dialysate-flow settings.
Evaluate intradialytic problems and provide interventions as prescribed or directed; monitor and document patient responses.
Perform treatment discontinuation procedures, obtain hemostasis, apply dressings, and evaluate patients before discharge.
Calculate and enter prescribed dialysis machine programming, including ultrafiltration goals, treatment time, and UF modeling.
Ensure required machine safety alarms are enabled and perform patient and machine safety checks according to facility policy.
Document treatment parameters, evaluations, interventions, and other patient-care information accurately and promptly; report significant changes or unusual findings to the nurse or supervisor.
Monitor vascular access and arterial and venous pressures during treatment; intervene as appropriate and document and report unusual findings.
Obtain prescribed laboratory tests, prepare specimens, and collect, label, store, and arrange courier collection according to requirements.
Clean blood spills promptly using appropriate disinfectant and prepare and organize supplies and equipment to prevent waste.
Monitor patients performing self-care under RN supervision.
Assist with training applicable direct patient care staff on appropriate programs under nurse supervision.
Follow organizational business policies, procedures, systems, and ethical business practices; maintain safe and clean areas.
Clean and disinfect dialysis machines, chairs, equipment, and surrounding areas between treatments.
Prepare for dialysis, conduct required machine alarm testing including Pressure Holding Testing (PHT), and initiate the Solution Delivery System (SDS).
Participate in and document CQI activities; enter treatment data into the designated clinical application accurately and promptly.
Review treatment sheets for completeness, confirm nursing signatures, and ensure missing entries are completed or corrected by appropriate staff.
Prepare initial patient charts and paperwork and prepare laboratory requisitions for prescribed or stat specimens.
Assist with infection-control audits, support adherence to infection-control practices, follow infection-control policies, and reinforce patient and family education under appropriate direction.
Follow newly admitted patients through their first four weeks of dialysis and coordinate transitional dialysis care.
Reinforce education and care information for new patients as permitted by state law; liaise with staff to support the patient experience and coordinate discipline visits according to the plan.
Help patients understand home dialysis products and benefits and treatment options, including demonstrating peritoneal dialysis setup.
Assist with coordination of transitions to patients’ chosen modalities, and with TCU supply ordering and inventory.
Set up and perform treatments on machines used in the Transitional Care Unit.